tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post3704691510984767895..comments2015-03-03T13:36:46.302-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: "Fault-Finding" - SUNDAY, Oct. 5, 2008 - Byron Walden (Snail variety whose name means "small gray" / 1968 film featuring a murderous cheerleader)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44832631448817159582008-10-24T18:44:00.000-04:002008-10-24T18:44:00.000-04:00I so wanted 87A to be "ArkLaTex", something that p...I so wanted 87A to be "ArkLaTex", something that people living in the Texarkana region really do call that area. But despite Auntie1961's protests, rice is a major agricultural crop in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, especially the first two. Google a company called Riceland.chris.conradihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17881519960894477962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35580749188950186902008-10-16T20:46:00.000-04:002008-10-16T20:46:00.000-04:00I'm new to the Sunday Times Crossword so I found t...I'm new to the Sunday Times Crossword so I found this very challenging but fun. And having lived in Texarkana all my life, I have no idea where "rice belt" came from. Texarkana is not known for rice.auntie1961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15160669387027218322008-10-15T20:16:00.000-04:002008-10-15T20:16:00.000-04:00The puzzle runs a week late in Honolulu. And they ...The puzzle runs a week late in Honolulu. And they added some puzzlement this week by failing to print the bottom of the page. 94A: "whose name means 'small gray." 99D: "instincts" 69D: "counting rhyme." No 29D or 100D at all. Still managed to get it all in only four days, except "uno," which I didn't notice I had missed the "u" of--wouldn't have guessed right anyway.mathiashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08024643286598336083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87784714723697849812008-10-13T01:00:00.000-04:002008-10-13T01:00:00.000-04:00I was able to complete the puzzle without ever dis...I was able to complete the puzzle without ever discerning the fact that "typo" was in each of the starred answers, although I did pick up on the fact that each clue contained a typo. However, I didn't have faith that virid and stators were correct until I came to Rex's site. Usually if Rex calls it challenging, it's one I haven't been able to finish. <BR/><BR/>Andy Devine came easily to those who grew up on 1950s tv, and I knew about the rice belt from having driven through that area once.<BR/>Lisa Murkowski, the Alaska Senator, initially was appointed to the post by her father, who at the time was the Governor of Alaska. He was the sitting Governor that Sarah Palin defeated in the Republican primary when she took on the good ol' boys. (I was living in Alaska at the time.)John in Coloradonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12029841190075021622008-10-13T00:26:00.000-04:002008-10-13T00:26:00.000-04:00Syndication: Hardest puzzle for me in a while. D...Syndication: Hardest puzzle for me in a while. Didn't get there were TYPO in each answer until I came here. Did get that there were typos in the clues. <BR/><BR/>I guess not getting the theme makes it very hard. And when the great trek trekker wasn't Sulu, I was very disappointed. Liked all the jackets.Kadhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76311226063502649392008-10-12T20:44:00.000-04:002008-10-12T20:44:00.000-04:00Re the repeated words some complained about: the '...Re the repeated words some complained about: the 'jackets' in 38D (etons) and the 'jackets' in 40D (boleros) were traps sprung in 68D 'jacket material' (blurb).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6774627219015772312008-10-12T17:31:00.000-04:002008-10-12T17:31:00.000-04:00Took awhile to get the them, but the answers came ...Took awhile to get the them, but the answers came fairly easily.kashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261217811960817000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76685653084739113822008-10-12T17:09:00.000-04:002008-10-12T17:09:00.000-04:00I went to school with Andy Devine's son, Dennis De...I went to school with Andy Devine's son, Dennis Devine (Van Nuys High in California). He was the envy of all us seniors when his dad bought him a 1957 Chevy for graduation. Ah, memories from the NYT Puzzle. On topic, I had to just give up and come to the blog when I could NOT find the "wrong letter" to put in the answers!<BR/>MaryPatOregonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12816766104459742672008-10-12T16:49:00.000-04:002008-10-12T16:49:00.000-04:00From syndication land - I, as Alex, had a teacher ...From syndication land - I, as Alex, had a teacher that would not permit accuracy and precision to be used interchangeably. On another note, I grew up in Texarkana and I have to say that I do not recall hearing of rice as a topic of civic pride. I am not sure where that clue comes from.boardbtrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-75899523248923531662008-10-09T02:51:00.000-04:002008-10-09T02:51:00.000-04:00Enjoyed the puzzle quite a bit... I had forgotten ...Enjoyed the puzzle quite a bit... I had forgotten that Einstein used to work in a patent office... smart little clerk, that one... I don't get the NYT, I don't do the puzzle online; for whatever reason, the NYT Sunday puzzle has been appearing every wednesday in a weekly community newspaper... I am SURE I am the only person who actually looks forward to getting this thing... however, this week they must have sold some last minute ad space, and decided to shrink the puzzle by a factor just enough to make certain serifs and lines invisible, as well as many of the numbers.. quite fun... i may have to sue them to the damage they caused my eyes... Alex, loved the accurate and precise story...Citizen Mundanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66582652656302085532008-10-08T15:08:00.000-04:002008-10-08T15:08:00.000-04:00My trouble came when I thought there would be an a...My trouble came when I thought there would be an actual "typo" in the theme answers. (Not the WORD Typo). I spent 45 minutes trying to figure out what letter was incorrect in twentypoundnote, never seeing the T-Y-P-O right there in the middle. Boy I feel sooooooo stupid!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86987671084021770742008-10-06T10:28:00.000-04:002008-10-06T10:28:00.000-04:00In re 51D, xenon is not INERT. This is a flat-out...In re 51D, xenon is <B>not</B> INERT. This is a flat-out error on the puzzle's part. Its lack of inertness had been theoretically predicted by Linus Pauling in the 30s, and has been experimentally known since the early 60s, when Neil Bartlett synthesized the first xenon compounds.<BR/><BR/>It's considered something of an embarrassment that Bartlett, who died this summer, did not win the Nobel prize.<BR/><BR/>Helium and neon are the only INERT elements. The rightmost column of the periodic table was long ago renamed to the "noble gases".<BR/><BR/>U NU used to be fairly common crosswordese.<BR/><BR/>I remembered Seymour HERSH from his book on flight KAL 007 <I>The Target is Destroyed</I> and his book on Israel's nuclear program <I>The Samson Option</I>. The only difficulty I had was I kept confusing him with Reuben HERSCH, who writes popular books on mathematics, so I held off entering any answer, thinking I must be remembering the wrong Seymour.<BR/><BR/>When I saw the stars on several clues, I looked near the bottom of for a reference to "starred clues", found it, and was unable to make any headway there.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I saw TYPO embedded immediately, once I finally had a theme answer. Of course, I was looking for it, since the title of the puzzle was <B>FAULT-FINDING</B>. I'm a bit surprised that no one else seems to have been tipped off.<BR/><BR/>I eventually remembered to put TYPO in for 117D, and kicked myself later for not rereading the clue. I ended up puzzling out the second TYPO by brute force thinking.<BR/><BR/>I personally rate the puzzle medium-difficult only. This was from the cluing and the fill, not the theme answers.william e embanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3208404104001624702008-10-06T00:17:00.000-04:002008-10-06T00:17:00.000-04:00I got ACCURACY immediately but screamed on the ins...I got ACCURACY immediately but screamed on the inside because of a high school chemistry teacher who was extremely anal about how we used the words ACCURACY and PRECISION and did not view them as synonomous. <BR/><BR/>"To say," he'd say, "that there are 423.312117754 days in a year is extremely precise and very inaccurate. And to say that there are 365 is accurate but not very precise. Now, hopefully your answers will be both accurate and precise but if you can only give me one, go for accurate."<BR/><BR/>I know that has nothing to do with common uses of the words but it hurt me nonetheless.Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07543077687426776863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12194950904180138972008-10-05T21:45:00.000-04:002008-10-05T21:45:00.000-04:00I thought this was a wonderful puzzle and not part...I thought this was a wonderful puzzle and not particularly hard. <BR/><BR/>Marilyn was right about the Monte Hall problem. But I can't imagine why she'd try to criticize the famously complex proof of Fermat's last theorem...Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63259425247952491642008-10-05T21:28:00.000-04:002008-10-05T21:28:00.000-04:00I saw that TYPO appeared in the answers but just c...I saw that TYPO appeared in the answers but just couldn't understand why the answers weren't matching the clues. Geez. <BR/><BR/> I had twentypoundnote but was not EVER going to figure out that the clue was supposed to say 'Guernsey bill'. I also had celebritypoker and wasn't understanding that one either. So, total puzzle failure for me. <BR/><BR/>Yesterday I teamed up with my father and we blazed through that Saturday without any trouble. Of course, it is really just a dressed up Tuesday, but still, we were proud of ourselves.<BR/><BR/>Until today. I am still trying to explain the gimmick to him (but that could be a hearing aid issue).<BR/>:-)sillygoosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03483946342170291849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-65745405375633603102008-10-05T20:47:00.000-04:002008-10-05T20:47:00.000-04:00Orange - I sent Marilyn vos Savant a question once...Orange - I sent Marilyn vos Savant a question once and she answered it more than 2 years later. I was rather amazed at how many people told me they saw it.wendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06899889818724088564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-25171544234372865652008-10-05T20:18:00.000-04:002008-10-05T20:18:00.000-04:00Will Shortz and the NYTimes crossword have reached...Will Shortz and the NYTimes crossword have reached a new low - 10 typos in a puzzle should be unacceptable! And what's up with all those repeated typos in the grid?<BR/><BR/>While I am at it, that Byron Walden guy needs to get more words in his vocabulary - how dare he publish a 23 x 23 and repeat some of the words. Also, spins as an answer and spinners (twice) in the clue.<BR/><BR/>I want my money back.<BR/><BR/>JimGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26251466101265417532008-10-05T20:10:00.000-04:002008-10-05T20:10:00.000-04:00This one made me grumpy, too. I usually do better ...This one made me grumpy, too. I usually do better with the themes. I got 1/2 of the theme (typos in the clues) after 1/2 of the puzzle was complete. The "typo" within the answers didn't come to me until near the end. Until then I was baffled. When I finally got it, I got grouchy. <BR/><BR/>It seemed to me that the longer clues were more like Friday or Saturday than Thursday plus. I'm glad that there were those who liked it and found it easy. I vote for challenging. <BR/>TeresaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8205222785213839632008-10-05T19:53:00.000-04:002008-10-05T19:53:00.000-04:00I'm of the vote for calling it challenging and end...I'm of the vote for calling it challenging and ended up with 3 wrong letters in areas, I couldn't have figured it out if I tried. Noticed the "typos" in the clues, but never got the second part. This one kicked me, big time. But a lot of good and unusual answers in it. I rate it a 9.5 'cause I'm still grumpy about not solving it.<BR/><BR/>Bad starts:<BR/><BR/>MANET or MONET for COROT<BR/>MYSTARS for MERCYME<BR/>SHOO for SCAT<BR/>JAWS for ORCA<BR/>RATIO for RANGE<BR/><BR/>Had DUOA for DUMA crossed with TOOTITS (who nows about the Brits!).<BR/><BR/>Also TREATYCORT and PETITCRIS with OCCU. <BR/><BR/>Oh well, there's always Monday to look forward to!Shamikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11635283729322415150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2989321002325195662008-10-05T19:34:00.000-04:002008-10-05T19:34:00.000-04:00debsanger @12:48 wrote:&gt; And how about the typo...debsanger @12:48 wrote:<BR/><BR/>&gt; And how about the typo for &quot;typo&quot; in 7 down?<BR/><BR/>Ahem -- see my rendition of that entry @1:04AM ;-)<BR/><BR/>NDENoam D. Elkiesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50231356216020222982008-10-05T19:11:00.000-04:002008-10-05T19:11:00.000-04:00to imsdave: Get a mac, they are magnificent.to imsdave: Get a mac, they are magnificent.Alanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15447162545694461366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62383904326002105472008-10-05T17:35:00.000-04:002008-10-05T17:35:00.000-04:00To my friends, this computer that I'm working on i...To my friends, this computer that I'm working on is about to die - please comment on my blog re:Mac v PC. (off topic I know, but want to make the right call on by next purchase). Forgive the indiscretion,imsdavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12966770844825169981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-57780661889056951452008-10-05T16:46:00.000-04:002008-10-05T16:46:00.000-04:00@bluestater: Yes, U Thant was Sec'y Gen. of the U...@bluestater: Yes, U Thant was Sec'y Gen. of the UN. U Nu, also from what was then Burma, was its first prime minister. "U" is an honorific, like "Mr." I understand that it literally means "uncle."miriam bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03506593846362044050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78014317367911239722008-10-05T16:40:00.000-04:002008-10-05T16:40:00.000-04:00As a commentator said earlier I am a "below the me...As a commentator said earlier I am a "below the median" solver. I found this puzzle to be about a medium challenging, but I must agree with many before me that it was one of my favorite Sundays in a long time.<BR/><BR/>I luckily stumbled upon the TYPO theme early on because I happened to see a TYP combination in a few of my theme answers. I also misread FIRM for FILM and figured out the PRETTY POISON answer right away.<BR/><BR/>But I was totally stumped by DUE EAST (Great Sphinx look)and have to pay respects to Byron Walden for a brilliant clue.physsciteacherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00562616743450825755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6112804168051169812008-10-05T16:30:00.000-04:002008-10-05T16:30:00.000-04:00I think Haloscan swallowed my comment, so apologie...I think Haloscan swallowed my comment, so apologies if this appears twice (and I'll try to keep my story straight).<BR/><BR/>I'm with you, Doug; I really disliked this one, though I usually do dislike Byron Walden's puzzles, which the Brit term "too clever by half' might well have been invented to describe. As I recall, we've had this kind before, where we learn deep in the puzzle that mistakes are an organizing principle. Fine for Games magazine; wholly inappropriate for the NYT, in my view.<BR/><BR/>I object to 83D, "How the Great Sphinx looks," DUEEAST. That's *where* it looks (I guess), not *how* it looks. This answer, especially considering its location amid other gnarliness like BUSTARHYMES (new to me, but most of that stuff is), J-Lo's thriller, and one of the gimmick answers, strikes me as over the line.<BR/><BR/>And (I refer now to comments, not the puzzle) wasn't U Thant, not U Nu, secretary-general of the UN?Blue Staternoreply@blogger.com